Day Prince

The state tree of Virginia, Flowering Dogwood grows 20 to 25 feet tall and spreads 12 to 15 feet. This is one of the most popular red-flowered cultivars. It is usually trained as a picturesque multitrunked tree. The flowers consist of four bracts which subtend the small head of yellow flowers. The bracts are deep red and very striking. The fall color is usually bronze and the bright red fruits are often eaten by birds. Branches on the lower half of the crown grow horizontally, those in the upper half are more upright. In time, this can lend a strikingly horizontal impact to the landscape, particularly if some branches are thinned to open up the crown. Lower branches left on the trunk will droop to the ground, creating a wonderful landscape feature.

USE AND MANAGEMENT

The tree is not suited for parking lot planting but can be grown in a wide street median, if provided with less than full-day sun and irrigation. Dogwood is a standard tree in many gardens where it is used by the patio for light shade, in the shrub border to add spring and fall color or as a specimen in the lawn or groundcover bed. It can be grown in sun or shade but shaded trees will be less dense, grow more quickly and taller, have poor fall color, and less flowers. Trees prefer part shade (preferably in the afternoon) in the southern end of its range. Many nurseries grow the trees in full sun, but they are irrigated regularly